But if U21 football has anything to do with it - the first-team cupboard will be very bare, says Ferdinand.

It's why the only way forward is to give the best upcoming talent like Darnell Furlong experience in the rough and tumble of League Two.

The right-sided defender is on his second loan of the season with Cambridge having already had a stint at Northampton. Way to go, says Ferdinand, who explained why the U21 set-up is not working.

Critical: Les Ferdinand

"I’m not in favour of the U21 league, he told a fans forum and www.qpr.co.uk "Nine times out of 10 you come through the U21 system and you have to send players out on loan to get experience at men’s level.

"My thought processes are you come in at U8s, U10s, U16s, and at U21 you’re still playing against the same guys.

"So unless you go out on loan, you ain’t going to get the experience you need for the first team, hence why managers won’t trust you - that’s why a lot of our boys are on loan.

"I know Darnell played a couple of games for us at the end of the season, but’s that’s because we had no one else. He wasn’t ready to play but he had to."

Ferdinand also believes results at academy level mean nothing, and cited an example of a past Brentford versus Arsenal Youth Cup tie where the Bees won.

"All of those Arsenal players went on to have a career for the club, and not one Brentford player is still in football," he said.